The superfood designation, though unofficial, has been a boon for many such crops. Blueberry production in the U.S. more than doubled to 553 million pounds in 2012 from 251 million in 2002, according the U.S. Department of Agriculture data, thanks in part to its status as one of the fruits richest in the antioxidants that superfood proponents prize.

But others aren’t native to North America. And that has spelled opportunity for some food entrepreneurs.

Chia, a plant in the mint family native to Central and South America, was long known in the U.S. almost exclusively for green-and-bushy Chia Pet products. But in recent years its seeds―sprinkled on cereal, perhaps, or blended into smoothies–have become hot among athletes and other health-conscious consumers.

For four business-school students at the University of Louisville a few years ago, the growing popularity of chia looked like another kind of green. The quartet–Scott Serdoz, Zack Pennington, Jacy Cruz and Keith Starling–co-founded Kentucky Chia in 2011. Later renamed U.S. Chia, it planted its first crop last year in Kentucky fields formerly used for corn and soybeans.

Raising chia seeds in the bluegrass state hasn’t been easy. The company’s first crop last year yielded about half what was expected. Because of that, the owners have rented higher-quality land and are hoping to double yields for their next crop, said Mr. Pennington. “If there’s one thing I learned about farming, it’s that you shouldn’t count your chia before it’s hatched,” he said.

In the same family as mint, chia seeds add fiber, protein and a form of omega-3 fatty acids.

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But thanks to high chia prices the past two years, the company still is off to a good start, he said. Since it is in the middle of thoroughbred country, U.S. Chia also has hedged its bets by targeting horses as well as humans. It sells seeds for people in 1.5-pound and 3-pound plastic bags, and seeds in 25-pound buckets and 50-pound sacks for their four-legged friends. “We’ve had a lot of success in the equine industry,” said Mr. Pennington.

Meanwhile, the forerunners of chia in the U.S. have jumped hard on the seed bandwagon. In addition to its Chia Pet portfolio–which now includes Chia Hello Kitty and a line of Chia Duck Dynasty busts–Joseph Industries is marketing Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia brand chia seeds. “Ancient Aztec warriors prized Chia as a Superfood,” it says on its website. “Easily added to food and drinks without altering flavor.”